Amid showdown over WhatsApp Data Policy, double standard over privacy policy exposed

World

As WhatsApp filed a legal complaint against the new IT rules, “The obligations in the intermediary guidelines in relation to the first originator of the information are the examples of such a reasonable restriction,” responded the government. As the government assured saying, the IT rules will respect the Right to Privacy and has no intention in hampering it, whereas, India has been demanding for more stricter data protection law in the country from legal and privacy rights experts. 

WhatsApp’s policy of launching separate privacy and data sharing policies for Europe and India has raised concerns. The options for sharing the data in WhatsApp or other social media platforms will remain same for the users in Europe, clarified the messaging app, whereas users in India will have no other option than sharing their data with Facebook and other group platforms unless they delete their account, according to their recent updates. 

Also Read: WhatsApp files suit against govt’s IT rules: ‘Traceability clause is unconstitutional’

“No fundamental right, including the Right to Privacy is absolute and is bound to reasonable restrictions,” said the judicial. Also WhatsApp has clarified that the privacy of the users won’t be affected but only the chats with business will be shared with Facebook. 

Dr Kanika Seth, Cyber Law Expert and Founding Partner at Seth Associates said, Europe, which has rigid law GDPR protects the privacy and data of its people, unlike India where the Personal Data Protection law is still to be enacted as law. Meanwhile, since the Indian government’s notice to WhatsApp in order to withdraw it’s updated privacy policy, WhatsApp has declared that it will maintain its current policies until the upcoming PDP law comes into action.